WOW Blog

Whether this is your first, third, or tenth year homeschooling, the "mom" scenarios are so similar to one another.

>>>Let me imagine your thinking while stepping into your size eight shoes today as the new school year rapidly approaches.

Your mind can’t stop thinking! You’re perusing Pinterest for ideas. You are following your favorite homeschool blogger. Dang. She is already planned out for the entire year (insert profanity of choice). You have questions for your co-op group. You are asking other homeschool veterans their opinions.

Perhaps, you are even farther along. Maybe…

Your literature choices are already picked out (even if only in your head).

Math is moving on to the next year’s textbook. That was easy!

The science units you have planned in your mind are AWESOME! There will be some fun hands-on activities for your kiddos this fall. (Are you keeping a list of the things you need at the Dollar Store? Yep, me, too.)

You loved the history resources from last year, so that is an easy one to mark off of the to-do-list.

But, what about WRITING? That can be a challenge, right? The questions begin to multiply like some bizarre common core math problem.

Are all of your textbooks outdated?

Do you know how to teach writing and what to teach? #StandardsAlwaysChanging

How much is too much or not enough?

Is your child a “great, good, disastrous” writer?

How do you know?

What if you are not thoroughly preparing your child for the demands higher education will expect? I mean, writing encompasses ALL the subjects! Even scientists have to write.

Is your child’s writing similar to another child at the same grade level?

Is it higher?

Is it lower?

I get it! You MUST know these things but how?!

Well, I can tell you, getting into the WRITE state-of-mind is priceless. And, that comes from knowing - 100% - that your child is getting the best, most complete, challenging yet fun academic exposure and instruction!

Imagine this - if you dare. At the end of any semester, or even worse, an entire school year, you face the realization that you never raised the writing-bar for your child. The writing you expected was minimal and unstructured. The feedback you gave your child consisted of “nice job, good work.” Let me tell you, it would feel terrible to think you lost any of your child’s academic potential in any month, let alone an entire semester or year. And, yet, we all worry about that. Do you think you are alone in your feelings? You are not.

Back in 2005, after a dozen years in the classroom, I began supporting parents who wanted to homeschool their children. They did not want to go into home-education blindly, and the resources and support my charter school provided gave them all the tools and confidence they needed.

Yet, they struggled with knowing how to “grade” their child’s writing. Believe me, assessing your own child's writing ability is such a personal challenge! #truth

I knew then that I wanted to help solve this problem. At the time, I heard about some online teaching platforms, and our school was happy to try them out. My very first online writing class ended up with a waiting list! Yes, the demand was there. Parents loved knowing they could learn alongside their child while being supported and encouraged by an experienced, credentialed teacher (and homeschool mom).

Sure, I provided valuable materials and lessons, but the personable coaching and teaching made both students and parents feel successful. They loved the community that online education fostered.

Every month, we tackled one new writing style.

Each week, they were assigned writing, reading, and research tasks to complete.

And, by the end of the month, a quality piece of writing stretched out before our eyes.

It sounds simple, right? Well, it is. Don’t be fooled though. That does not mean it is easy. It takes work like anything else.

The best part of what I do, for me, is witnessing the effectiveness of my writing classes. Students who once hated writing LOVE writing. Okay, that is a complete and utter lie. Very few have gone from one spectrum to the other. I am not a miracle worker, nor do I claim to be one.

What they have said is, “Writing isn’t as bad as I used to think it was.”

And, HEY! The ones who DO like (or even love) writing from the start soar to whole new heights.

Parents thank me on a regular basis for the guidance and enthusiasm I offer them and their children. Truly, truly, truly, it is MY pleasure. Teaching moms and students to embrace writing IS my passion. There is so much to learn and share!

Are you ready to get into the WRITE state-of-mind? Would you and your child thrive with my support and encouragement for the 2018-19 school year? Would you like ME to write out all of your monthly writing lesson plans and lead classes for you?

Think about it. What could you do with that extra time NOT having to teach writing? And, if your child can work independently, well, I just saved you even MORE time. My program is step-by-step, and students as young as fourth grade have completed it independently.

We should be friends, right?!

My first month of classes will begin September 4th, and I need to get everyone signed up and registered in August. You have until August 29, 2018, to save your spot. Head on over to my website to see more details on the classes I will be offering. I am BEYOND excited for this next year, and I can’t wait to work with you and your child. Let’s do this.

I can save you a spot for now; one for your friend, too! More details will be coming soon.

Melissa Webb is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to amazon.com.